Immediate support
Immediate support

Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with anxiety.

Start a discussion

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

View the guidelines
Jump to
Start a discussion

Pinned discussions

Chris_B Forums etiquette: give support to receive support
  • replies: 0

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newb... View more

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newbies are welcomed when they first post, and we understand that it’s a big step to post for the first time on a forum like this, especially if you aren’t feeling great. It’s important to remember, though, that these forums are a community of real people, just like you, not a one-on-one support environment like going to see your psychologist. To get the best out of being here, one of the best tips we can offer is give support to receive support. Being a good community member means: participating in different threads (not just your own), replying to people who have taken the time to reply to you (even if it’s just to say thank you), and... posting words of emotional support and encouragement when you see others who are hurting and reaching out. You don’t have to feel obliged to solve the problems of others: that’s not what we’re here for. But you can offer empathy and what you’ve learned from your own life experiences, even if it’s just a line or two, eg. “I don't know what to say, but I want to give you my support and tell you I care about what is happening to you and hope life will get better soon.” Try to develop an interest in the journeys of others here on the forums. You may be surprised at how good being an active, caring member here can make you feel. For those of you who have had good experiences giving support here on the forums, please post in this thread here and let us know how it has helped you on your journey.

All discussions

Start a discussion

nervous_nelly Considering meds and nervous
  • replies: 3

Hi all, This is my first post here, I’ve lurked and read a few over the last couple of months though. I’ve recently come to the conclusion (following long conversations with psychologist, GP and husband) that it’s probably time to commence medication... View more

Hi all, This is my first post here, I’ve lurked and read a few over the last couple of months though. I’ve recently come to the conclusion (following long conversations with psychologist, GP and husband) that it’s probably time to commence medication for my anxiety/agoraphobia. Likely an SSRI, am seeing my GP tomorrow (thanks public holidays for that delightful wait time ) to discuss which medication is likely to be best to try. I’ve tried over the last year to manage my symptoms and periods of extreme anxiety via other means- I don’t know why, but I have been strongly resisting regular medication. Exercise, therapy, meditation etc however I have slowly been feeling worse, with shorter periods of wellness between the more uncomfortable times. I’m writing this post because I’m super nervous about starting medication. I’m breastfeeding, and have done a lot of research into medications appropriate to use while breastfeeding (I’m a health professional, not in mental health, and can’t help myself when it comes to drug interactions, side effects etc). I’ve read about all the possible side effects, expected periods of time before the medication will start working etc, and starting to feel quite worried about it. I know it’s probably a daft thing to have done, but I always feel like more knowledge is better than less. A large part of my anxiety/agoraphobia manifests as a fear of driving, and I’ve started to freak out a bit about the side effects and driving to and from work. It’s only a 30minute drive, but it’s the only way to get there and has been a source of my worry over the past year. Particularly driving after long shifts or night shifts. I guess I’m just after a little reassurance that it’s “normal” to be nervous about commencing medication, and maybe hear others experiences? I know everyone will experience meds differently, but at the moment it feels so overwhelming and like no one else in the world has ever felt like this, and I’m the only one. Which I know I mustn’t be. People function well on medication everyday- right?! Thanks guys.

Paddlepop13 Obsessive thoughts
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting. I am 27 and my whole teen/early adult life I thought I was just a slightly stressy slightly neurotic person like a personality quirk. But since beginning to have serious romantic relationships around 18 it ... View more

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting. I am 27 and my whole teen/early adult life I thought I was just a slightly stressy slightly neurotic person like a personality quirk. But since beginning to have serious romantic relationships around 18 it got so much worse. I struggled so badly with all-consuming jealousy even if it was baseless and I become hyper vigilant for signs that I should be jealous which is exhausting for myself and awful for my partner. I havent been able to hold a relationship for longer than 2 yr. Recently I have noticed that things are changing though. I met someone I loved so much and tried hard not to be jealous (though I still was frequently but to me it was an improvement compared to past relationships) - but in suppressing that behaviour a new thing emerged. I worried constantly about his character. I worried about whether he secretly had sexual interests or desires I might find immoral. I worried that he might be a paedophile (completely baseless btw and looking back, can't believe I would think that?) Then I worried he might be secretly gay. I worried myself sick over the idea he might prefer my friends to me. I have no clue where these thoughts or worries came from at all but at the time they seemes real and important. He left me a few weeks ago and I have been struggling terribly. I feel that he deserves to be free of me but also I want so badly to be able to be a normal happy girlfriend and let him like me, but i cant and I dont know why. Recently I have also started having intrusive thoughts. this is totally new for me, the thoughts are of a family member sexually assaulting me as a child. I am 99.999% sure it didnt happen as sometimes I can even feel the sensation of my brain "making it up" voluntarily almost as though it just wants to think about the worst possible thing it can on purpose. But then I get confused and obsess about it and try to recall more evidence for it etc. Sorry I dont really have a question I just cant sleep cant relax and needed to tell someone.

Lozzy33 Relationship Anxiety & Desperation vs Self Worth
  • replies: 2

I have been dating a guy on and off for about 6 months. Recently he has voiced his concerns about moving forward as a couple and that he doesn’t want to be with me right now for various reasons. As soon as this happened, I instantly blamed myself, my... View more

I have been dating a guy on and off for about 6 months. Recently he has voiced his concerns about moving forward as a couple and that he doesn’t want to be with me right now for various reasons. As soon as this happened, I instantly blamed myself, my insecurity says it’s me, I am the reason he doesn’t want to commit - I am not good enough. My mind starts creating problems and scenarios in my head that aren’t even happening and so the spiral begins. We starting arguing around this topic and as this happens a snow ball starts to form, more anxiety, more emotion and more insecurity is built up, which results in more pressure and more arguing. I start to get highly emotional and irrational as he pulls away from me, which again creates more desperation for me as I try and pull back. This has gone for weeks and kudos to him, he has tolerated the entire process respectfully. I on the other hand haven’t been able to keep a calm mind, I am erratic, I am up and down and constantly embarrassing myself in the process - saying and doing things I shouldn’t and then being overwhelmed with instant regret and guilt. There are moments when I feel like things have been saved, but then instantly lost again. Then the worse things get between us, the worse I feel, the more anxious, panic stricken I feel, yet I’m the one making the whole situation worse, therefore I’m creating the outcome and ultimately the way I’m feeling and I don’t know how to make it stop, it’s a very toxic cycle. I don’t know why I put myself through the torment either - the simple solution would be to stop talking to him and I cant. Ideally if I showed enough self love for myself, I would have been able to walk away knowing that I deserve better. Instead I have lowered myself to the point of begging, discounting my self worth entirely and utterly afraid to let go of someone who has doesn’t want me, have the time for me nor deserve me. The texts and the discussions around this are still being battled out, but I know it’s not long before he can’t take it anymore and blocks my number. I don’t know why I want someone and so desperately look for comfort in someone who doesn’t want me. I can’t explain why I behave or feel this way. Does anyone else ever feel this anxious, emotional, desperation or look for love, support and relationships in all the wrong places?

Cleo24 Relationship Anxiety
  • replies: 1

Hi all! Ive been with my partner for 4 years now and i get anxiety whenever we are away from each other for more than work. If he wants to go away for the day (even if he asked me and i say no) i feel really anxious when we are apart and i dont know ... View more

Hi all! Ive been with my partner for 4 years now and i get anxiety whenever we are away from each other for more than work. If he wants to go away for the day (even if he asked me and i say no) i feel really anxious when we are apart and i dont know what is happening. When we are apart i feel like he would be having more fun without me and then thinking about wanting to be single. I dont like thinking that he is having fun without me. I want him to want to spend the majority of his time with me, not away from me. He doesnt do a lot of things without me. I don’t really have a lot of friends either so i know that that doesnt help but i am 25 and work with older people that live no where near me so how do i make friends? I know that it isnt healthy to do things with each other all the time, but how do i get over the anxious thoughts?!

Nyny94 New Phobias unwelcomed Guests
  • replies: 4

Recently my anxiety has welcomed a new phobia, we recently moved to a new place and after seeing cockroach droppings I decided to wipe all the benches down with Pineoclean wipes. BUT then over the past few days I started having this strange paranoid ... View more

Recently my anxiety has welcomed a new phobia, we recently moved to a new place and after seeing cockroach droppings I decided to wipe all the benches down with Pineoclean wipes. BUT then over the past few days I started having this strange paranoid thoughts and anxieties around chemicles. Wiping the benches down with vinegar helped but then my partner used a pineoclean wipe on the tap in the kitchen and despite spraying it with vinegar and water I'm terrified the residue will get into the water because I used the vinegar spray on it, it's making me too scared to use the tap or water. It annoys my partner but to me it's a very real fear, I realize it is probably irrational but I can't help but still panic and avoid using the water.

GregtheEgg Christmas party regrets and anxiety
  • replies: 1

Hi all, I had my work Christmas on Friday night.We had dinner at a restaurant which was fine, I moderated what I said and drank and felt like I keep it all together. However I met some friends out at the pub afterward and got trashed. Not only was I ... View more

Hi all, I had my work Christmas on Friday night.We had dinner at a restaurant which was fine, I moderated what I said and drank and felt like I keep it all together. However I met some friends out at the pub afterward and got trashed. Not only was I incredibly drunk, my friend offered me a ritalin which I took. I then proceeded to get trashed. Then, most unfortunately, half of my colleagues turned up at that pub. Luckily not my bosses but still. I made an absolute foo of myself. The parts I remember are so awful, and there is a lot that I don't. We now have a break and will be back at work in January. I'm starting to feel incredibly anxious about going back because of my behaviour. I can't even think about without feeling ill. I'm so embarrassed by what I did and what I might have said to people I spend a lot of time with. I know I made really bad decisions but I'm just feeling so anxious I don't know what to do.

Simonecs89 I want to know I’m not alone
  • replies: 8

Hi everyone, my name is Simone, I’m a single mum of three and struggling with my anxiety. This is my first post here, a doctor I saw the other day recommended this website so I thought I’d check it out. I’ve struggled with anxiety my entire life, and... View more

Hi everyone, my name is Simone, I’m a single mum of three and struggling with my anxiety. This is my first post here, a doctor I saw the other day recommended this website so I thought I’d check it out. I’ve struggled with anxiety my entire life, and I just turned 30 and it’s the worst it’s ever been. It’s got to the point where I’m feeling it almost every moment I’m awake. I’m struggling with doing basic things like walking to school and shopping. It’s bad when I’m waiting for things, like when my kids are doing their extra curricular activities and I’m waiting for them to finish. It’s like I feel trapped and that I have to sit in my anxiety. I still do things most of the time but the fear and that feeling of running back home where it’s safer is the hardest thing to feel. I’m feeling anxiety in my home too but I feel safer to feel it here. I don’t know what is causing my anxiety. I want to talk about these symptoms I feel and I want to know that I’m not alone. Because I feel that nobody would ever understand how I’m feeling. I look around and it seems that everyone is carefree and able to go about their lives without this debilitating condition. My heart races (the doctor said it’s my pulse?) and I feel like I can’t take a full breath in. Sometimes I’ll yawn just so I can take that breath. It’s like something is stopping me getting that deep breath. My breathing just isn’t normal. I have a fear of passing out (I’ve never passed out before) because I feel lightheaded and off from these symptoms. When I am out sometimes I have to rush home because I’m so scared and I feel like I’m going to fall over. Currently my chest is tight. Nothing helps this fear and I’ve turned to drinking to ease these feelings. I struggle alone with anxiety and got off medication 10 years ago when I had my son. He helped me so much. I have a fear of the dentist and he told me to go to the dr to get anxiety medication. The doctor treated me as if I was a junkie, but I was just seeking help. This has reconfirmed how I feel with doctors and why I never sought help. I saw a dr last week because I was so bad but it will be a process and I don’t have high hopes for receiving the help I need. I just want to feel that I’m not alone and there are other people who feel this. I hate that it’s stealing my days away and ruining beautiful moments. I just want to be me again and to stop feeling so controlled by anxiety.

ruruibby Panic attacks while asleep???
  • replies: 1

Hey guys so last night something happened to me and it has left me feeling shaken up all day! I was having a dream, I was sitting in my backyard with some people I don’t know and I had a dog. This dog came and sat beside me on the bench and put its h... View more

Hey guys so last night something happened to me and it has left me feeling shaken up all day! I was having a dream, I was sitting in my backyard with some people I don’t know and I had a dog. This dog came and sat beside me on the bench and put its head on my lap, all of a sudden this horrible feeling came over me, like someone was sucking the breath out of me, or like I was being possessed as they say. It’s hard to explain, I didn’t feel like I was suffocating but the sensation was horrible... it woke me up and the feeling was there like it never happened in the dream it was actually happening! All of a sudden that wave of fear came over me and I really did think that I was dying, I was scared and that heavy horrible feeling I get in my chest came, I was shaken and I didn’t know what to do or where to go.... has anyone ever experienced night time panic attacks? Does this sound like what this could be?

Jarred28 GAD
  • replies: 4

Have been diagnosed with GAD since May of this year and it’s been horrible. Having a lot of trouble just getting to sleep and when I do I wake up about 2 hours later panicking and have the same trouble falling back asleep. This has been leading to me... View more

Have been diagnosed with GAD since May of this year and it’s been horrible. Having a lot of trouble just getting to sleep and when I do I wake up about 2 hours later panicking and have the same trouble falling back asleep. This has been leading to me being fatigued all the time and it’s been extremely difficult to go on with everyday activities. Any pointers would be appreciated.

Flowergirl99 Anxiety, depression and insomnia
  • replies: 2

Hello, I'm not really sure how to start this. I guess I've had anxiety and depression for years now. But lately the last couple months it's all been way worse. At work no matter how hard I try. Or how many extra hours I put in (I start early, stay la... View more

Hello, I'm not really sure how to start this. I guess I've had anxiety and depression for years now. But lately the last couple months it's all been way worse. At work no matter how hard I try. Or how many extra hours I put in (I start early, stay late and come in on my days off) I still seem to be getting told I'm not good enough. I haven't been able to go out with friends without having a mental break down and bursting into tears. My boyfriend is understanding and tries to help and listen but I just get frustrated ad he doesn't quite understand. My parents try to help but always seem to just say don't think about it. I was seeing a therapist but it all got too expensive. I find I'm only getting like 4 or 5 hours sleep and just seem to be really hard and negative on myself. I've gained weight as eating is like a comfort. I feel like I have no future as I'm not overly smart and don't have any real interest. I don't really have any friends either. I'm just not sure what to do at this point to get out of this slunpt. And how to be more positive and confident in myself. If anyone has any tips I would appriciate it.